There are a few potential reasons why your status may not be visible to all contacts even when your settings are set to share with all contacts:
Privacy Settings
The most common reason is that you or your contacts have privacy settings enabled that limit visibility. For example:
- You have set your privacy to only share your status with some contacts rather than all.
- Specific contacts have set their privacy so they can’t see your status updates.
- Your contacts have muted your updates or have custom settings to not see your status.
Double check your privacy settings and any settings for individual contacts to make sure you and others don’t have visibility limited.
App Issues
Sometimes there are bugs or glitches within the app you are using that prevents your status being seen even with correct settings. Things to check:
- Make sure the app is updated to the latest version.
- Reinstall/update the app if it seems glitchy.
- Check if others are reporting similar issues seeing statuses.
An app bug could be preventing your status from going through correctly for some contacts.
Connection Issues
Less commonly, connection issues like poor internet or service problems could be interfering with your status visibility. Some things to try:
- Check your internet connection is working well on other sites/apps.
- Restart your phone/app to reset the connection.
- Toggle airplane mode on/off to get a fresh connection.
Connection problems may prevent your status from being shared properly.
Troubleshooting Steps
Here are some steps to troubleshoot and fix issues with your status visibility:
Check Your Privacy Settings
Go into your privacy settings and confirm your status sharing is set to “All Contacts” or the most open visibility. Also check for any individual custom restrictions you may have set.
Review Contacts Privacy Settings
Some contacts may have their settings limited so they can’t see your status – ask them to check their visibility settings.
Disable/Re-Enable Status Sharing
Turn your status sharing off and back on again to reset it. This may fix any glitches.
Update Your App
Make sure to update your apps to eliminate any bugs that may be preventing status visibility.
Check Service Status
See if the app/service is having any reported widespread issues with statuses. This could confirm problems on their end.
Troubleshoot Your Internet
Run network diagnostics, reset modem/router, check for outages etc to fix any connection issues.
Try Different Wifi/Mobile Data
Switch between wifi and mobile data to see if one has better connectivity to allow your status through.
Restart Your Device
Power cycle your device and apps completely to refresh all connections and settings.
Update Apps/Device Software
Install the latest updates which may include fixes for status sharing bugs.
Why Status Visibility Gets Blocked
Here are some common reasons why your status may get blocked from contacts even when you intend it to be visible:
App Bugs/Glitches
Bugs in an app’s code can cause statuses not to send properly. Updates often fix these.
Connectivity Issues
Poor internet connection on your end or the receiving end prevents status delivery.
Incorrect Privacy Settings
Overly strict privacy settings or custom contact restrictions block visibility.
Contacts Have You Muted
Contacts can mute you or turn off seeing your status updates.
Temporary Service Outages
The app or service itself may have temporary downtime issues.
Contacts Limit Their Settings
Some contacts limit which statuses they want to see from all users.
Device Compatibility Problems
Older devices or OS versions may have problems displaying new statuses.
Status Feature Disabled
The status feature may be disabled entirely in some situations.
Third-Party App Interference
Some third party apps block or interfere with statuses.
Examples of Status Visibility Settings
Here are some examples of status visibility settings in different apps and potential issues:
- Settings > Account > Privacy > Status > Share with…
- Can choose Nobody, Contacts, or Contacts Except
- Issue may be wrong choice or muting specific contacts
- Profile > Settings > Privacy > Story > Hide Story From…
- Can hide story from specific people
- Individual hiding can cause issues
Skype
- Settings > Privacy > Share online status with > Everyone, Contacts, or Nobody
- Contacts can also block your status in their settings
- Need to check settings on both ends
Discord
- User Settings > Privacy & Safety > Who can see my status? > Everyone or Friends
- Friends can turn off seeing friends’ statuses
- Friends settings can override your choices
- Settings and Privacy > Privacy and Safety > Audience and tagging > Let others see my views, likes and followers
- Issue may be having this turned off
How Apps Limit Status Visibility
Here are some ways apps give users options to limit status visibility:
| App | Visibility Limit Options |
|---|---|
| Nobody, My Contacts, My Contacts Except | |
| Close Friends, Followers, Everyone | |
| Skype | Nobody, Contacts, Everyone |
| Snapchat | My Friends, Everyone |
| Turn off letting others see views, likes, followers |
Apps give fine grained controls, but this can also lead to unintended visibility issues.
Fixing Problems Seeing Contacts’ Statuses
If your contacts’ statuses are not visible to you, here are some troubleshooting tips:
Check Their Privacy Settings
They may have their visibility set to not show you statuses. Ask them to check.
Review Your Own Settings
You may have settings blocking their updates. Look for any custom restrictions.
Disable/Re-Enable Status Viewing
Turn off and on your ability to view statuses to reset any glitches.
See If They Can See Yours
Ask if they can see your status. If not, it’s likely a problem on their end.
Troubleshoot App Issues
Make sure both apps are updated and working properly. Reinstall if needed.
Confirm Service Status
Check if others are reporting issues viewing statuses. Could be widespread problem.
Change Privacy Settings
Try temporarily making your settings more open to rule out restrictions.
Disable Third-Party Apps
Some third party apps can interfere with status visibility.
Conclusion
In summary, issues with status visibility usually come down to privacy settings, app bugs, or connection problems. Carefully check the settings and troubleshoot app problems on both ends. Make sure to keep apps updated and reboot devices to refresh connections. If the issues persist across contacts, it likely indicates a wider issue with the service or app itself. Temporary workarounds like disabling statuses or using a different app may help determine the root cause. With some diligent troubleshooting, you should be able to resolve most problems and regain control over your status sharing as desired.